Ichigo vs Aizen
by IchigoMoonCutter
Summary: (Recap of Anime) The fate of Karakura town now weighs down upon Ichigo Kurosaki's shoulders as he battles against the most terrible foe ever known to the Soul Society. One Shot!


Yush. This was fun. I have always been dying to know how their fight would appear written down and so I went ahead and did it.

Be warned. This **actually follows the anime** in how storyline/wise this ends up.

Other than that, enjoy.

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><p><em>I failed.<em>

Those words crossed Gin Ichimaru's mind as he fell backwards, pain blinding his senses. He could barely make out Aizen Sōsuke's towering figure, victor and master of the hōgyoku at last.

Landing on rubble of a collapsed building, Gin could only lie there. All energy drained from the sudden lack of blood and shock to losing an arm.

Only a few moments before, Gin had managed to do what everyone from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, Hueco Mundo, and the Vizards had failed to do. He had stabbed Aizen through the heart all the while avoiding the effects of Aizen's Zanpakutō, activated a lethal poison which dissolves the victim into dust, and taken the hōgyoku to boot.

Hundreds of years of planning had gone into this single moment. So much time and it had all been for her.

And yet…

Even after all of that, Aizen still lived. Aizen had mastered the hōgyoku and had transformed into some sort of new being. No doubt he was boasting of it because Gin could see his lips moving, but not a sound reached his ears. His thoughts turned to Rangiku. The silent vow he had made to himself. It had been that reason; after all he became a Soul Reaper in the first place.

Yet it was over. He would either bleed to death within minutes or Aizen would deal the finishing blow.

"GIN!"

It was her voice coming from above. And only her voice could have reached him.

Dimly, Gin made out a slender figure leaping towards him. Something wet splattered on his cheek.

Tears…

_I'm sorry Rangiku…I couldn't retrieve what was taken from you…I'm glad I apologized to you back then…_

Rangiku was sobbing over him while behind her; Aizen turned his sword towards her unprotected back.

**BOOM**

* * *

><p>Aizen froze, then turned calmly around. He had expected him after all. The boy always did turn up at the last possible second.<p>

Ichigo Kurosaki had landed hard on rubble, carrying his father on his left shoulder while his right arm clutched a long, dark sword that had a lengthy chain attached to it, winding all the way up to his shoulder. His hair was bright orange, long, and messy. Despite his rugged appearance, his face was composed and serious. Not something everyone would show when facing Aizen's new massive spiritual pressure.

Gin and Rangiku looked up in surprise. But much greater was the surprise to the humans huddled together in the street beyond. Before Gin at attempted to kill Aizen, Aizen had been chasing the humans all over Karakura Town in a wicked game of cat and mouse. Taksuki and Keigo had been running for their lives (trying to save their friends and figure out what was going on) when the sudden sight of their high school friend stopped them dead in their tracks.

* * *

><p>Seemingly unaware of the stares he was drawing, Ichigo dropped his unconscious father carefully onto the ground.<p>

"Thanks, dad," He murmured, straightening up. Then he turned to Aizen who seemed to be deep in thought.

"I-is that really Ichigo?" Stammered Keigo; on his knees due to Aizen's monstrous spiritual pressure. "It's Ichigo right? Why's his hair so long? And…maybe it's due to his hair, but doesn't he look a bit taller than before?"

Ichigo had turned his head suddenly to the left and closed his eyes, focusing hard. He could sense them….safe and well.

"Good, Karin and Yuzu seem to be okay."

Reassured, turning his thoughts from his sisters to his friends, Ichigo glanced at them and smiled slightly.

"Taksuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, Honsho, Kanonji…"

A Soul Reaper with a large afro who had been knocked down with the humans looked expectantly at Ichigo.

"Imoyama…"

"Who?" The Soul Reaper puffed up indignantly. "I'm Kurumadani! Zennosuke Kurumadani! If you can't remember at least be honest about it! Don't name people based on your perceptions!"

Ichigo ignored this comment.

"Everyone, stay where you are. Stay still. I don't want to kill you by accident."

"W-what do you mean? Ichigo…" Keigo asked, unnerved.

Taksuki on the other hand was silent, staring hard at Ichigo, trying to control her own trembling.

* * *

><p><em>I don't feel anything! This isn't right. I feel his overwhelming power from the other guy, <em>she thought, looking quickly at Aizen. _But from Ichigo…I don't feel anything!_

* * *

><p>Aizen was looking very attentively at the boy; trying to figure out if he had evolved in some new unexpected way.<p>

"Ichigo Kurosaki…"

Ichigo spared Aizen a momentary look, and then his eyes found Rangiku and Gin.

"Are you really Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"What do you mean?" asked Ichigo coolly, returning his attention to Aizen.

"If you really are Ichigo Kurosaki…then you're a disappointment. I don't feel any spiritual pressure from you now. Even if you are suppressing your spiritual pressure, there's no way I wouldn't notice at all. You failed to evolve. You let the final chance I gave you slip away."

* * *

><p>Gin could barely open his eyes now, he could feel himself dying. But he wanted to make sure, wanted to be certain…before he died…<p>

With a great strain to keep his eyes from blurring, Gin looked into Ichigo's eyes. They were not like before, like the last time they had fought. Ichigo had been despairing, his eyes had lost hope, but now….

_Ah…your eyes have more power in them. That's good. You are at a level now…_Gin closed his eyes…_where I can die and leave the rest to you._

* * *

><p>Aizen had stretched out his hand, palm side up towards Ichigo.<p>

"It's unfortunate, Kurosaki…"

"Aizen…" Ichigo interrupted, glancing to his right off in the distance. "Let's do this elsewhere. I don't want to fight here."

"A meaningless suggestion," replied Aizen; smiling supremely at the latter for such a foolish proposal. "Those are the words only someone who has the power to give me a challenge has the right to say. There's no need to worry. There will be no need to destroy Karakura Town. You will…"

But before Aizen could say another word, Ichigo had grabbed Aizen by the face and jumped with surprising speed and power. As they flew over the distant town below, Aizen could only say "what?" before being thrown forcefully into a deserted gorge.

The dust cleared slowly. Crouched down, Aizen could only touch his face where Ichigo had grabbed it, completely taken aback.

What had happened just now?

_Impossible! There's no way he could force me like this!_

A little ways off, Ichigo landed neatly on the hard earth, his sword was relaxed and pointing at the ground. He had purposely let down his guard. Why though? Where did it get such foolish confidence?

Aizen's breathing was slowing. He had to regain his usual composure.

"Let's do this Aizen," said Ichigo as Aizen looked on, eyes narrowing slightly. "I'll end all of this in an instant."

"End it in an instant?" Aizen smiled, "I see. I understand now Ichigo Kurosaki. Why you lost your spiritual pressure."

Ichigo did not respond, but looked on.

"You didn't lose your spiritual pressure. You discarded it. I don't know how you did it, but you converted all of your spiritual pressure into your body's physical strength. Arm strength, leg strength, grip, throwing, and running…in exchange for drastically improving every one of your physical abilities, you have discarded your spiritual pressure. All because you gave up fighting me, spiritual pressure verses spiritual pressure."

If this theory was true, Ichigo did not show it on his face nor betray any other sort of emotion.

"But…do despair," Aizen continued, his grin growing wider. "I will teach you…that the physical strength you were counting on is in comparable to my own power."

And with that, the hōgyoku planted in Aizen's chest rang out a high solid note; emitting an eerie glow. His form had changed yet again.

* * *

><p>From Ichigo's perspective, Aizen looked like a person with three pairs of butterfly wings attached to his back. Not exactly what one would call intimidating, but he had gotten used to odd arrancar release forms and had learned <em>not<em> to underestimate their power.

"What's that?" he asked. But Aizen did not reply.

Instead, there was a blinding flash of light. Aizen had disappeared and suddenly reappeared behind Ichigo, preparing to deal a deadly blow. But Ichigo met him head on and their swords clashed. As Ichigo deflected Aizen's thrust, the mountain beside them exploded into dust from the sheer, raw power.

Both in turn took a few steps back from each other. Aizen was still smiling his all knowing smile.

"You parried that well," he complimented, "how shocked you must be though. The landscape changes with the single swing of my sword. That is how powerful I am now. To tell the truth, I didn't think my abilities had improved to this extent. I'm happy, Ichigo Kurosaki. Thanks to you, I can test these powers that transcend those of Hollows and Soul Reapers to my heart's content."

Ichigo remained silent and stony faced.

Aizen charged him again and again, but Ichigo continued to ward off all of his attacks. All around, the ground kept exploding each time their blades met.

"I'm not done yet, Ichigo Kurosaki…" Aizen said, rushing forward for the seventh time. Yet this time, Ichigo had disappeared, using Flash Step to dodge Aizen's brutal onslaught. He reappeared on a ledge above.

"Did you really think I couldn't follow your moves?" said Aizen's voice from the sky. Ichigo leapt sideways and Aizen crashed into the earth and demolished the ledge with his Zanpakutō.

Not at all fazed by this, Ichigo landed a short ways away in the now clearing dust. He looked to his left. Aizen came from that direction with great speed, swinging his sword hard. Ichigo blocked it and they both stood there, swords pressing hard against each other.

"By some odd coincidence," said Aizen, now thoroughly enjoying this little fight, "we seemed to have arrived at a similar evolved form where our right arms are combined with our Zanpakutō. Perhaps this is the true form of the Zanpakutō." He paused and chuckled softly.

"What's so funny?"

"I realized during our clash just now. As I suspected, your evolution and mine are on different levels. If I so wish…I can shatter your Zanpakutō with a single swing!" As Aizen swung his sword back, Ichigo let his right arm fall to his side and raised his left.

* * *

><p>With incredible ease, Ichigo caught Aizen's sword as if it were a mere twig.<p>

The force generated from the strike destroyed the ground all behind Ichigo, creating a deep pit.

_Impossible!_ Thought Aizen, wide eyed and stunned. _He caught it? Dodging it I could understand. Though he shouldn't even be able to dodge at that speed to begin with… Even so, dodging it, I could understand…but, he caught it? He caught my blow?_

"Why so surprised?" asked Ichigo, as calm as ever. "Is it so unbelievable that I caught your sword?"

_What?_

"Does it scare you?" asked Ichigo, looking as if he barely noticed he was still holding Aizen's blade. "That something you can't comprehend happened right before your eyes?"

At this, Aizen laughed. "Interesting, Ichigo Kurosaki…"

He leapt back, a good distance away from the boy who had just let go of Aizen's sword.

"Something I 'can't comprehend' you say? Don't talk as if you've won. It was simply a case of your physical strength momentarily exceeding mine. Miracles like that happen from time to time. But I am a being who surpasses even that. In that case, I will see to it that miracles like that never happen again by crushing you to pieces with Kido!"

Aizen then raised his finger high into the air and began to chant, "The oozing crest of corruption! The arrogant vessel of madness! Deny the seething urge… Stun and flicker…disrupt the sleep! The crawling queen of iron! The eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill the earth, and know your powerlessness! Hadō Number 90: KUROHITSUGI!"

At once, a great, horrible blackness shined and incased Ichigo in a box like cage. Blocking out the sky, it raised high like a tower.

"Now that I transcend both Hollows and Soul Reapers, this is Kurohitsugi with a full incantation!" Aizen shouted at Ichigo, who was disappearing from sight beneath the darkness. "It unleashes enough gravity to warp time and space! The likes of you could never comprehend it, Ichigo Kurosaki!"

Ichigo did not look the least bit concerned as the last chink of daylight was blocked from his view.

Laughing, Aizen lowered his arm and admired his now completed Kido, feeling invincible and composed once more.

But it was not to last.

Just as he thought it was over, the unthinkable happened.

Aizen's entire Hadō shattered into powder. As if it was nothing but thin glass.

And there stood Ichigo in the center of the now broken cube, his left arm raised, as if he had just batted an obnoxious fly away.

Aizen was bewildered. It was impossible. How could the boy have destroyed it?

"You don't seem to realize, do you? My power is greater than the power you have right now," said Ichigo, starting to walk towards Aizen, looking him directly in the eyes. And Aizen could not look away.

"The force that erased that mountain…was my sword."

"Here I come, Aizen."

And before Aizen could do more than take a step backwards, Ichigo had appeared directly in front of him.

* * *

><p>Blood splattered the ground. Ichigo had sliced neatly up the latter's right shoulder. If Aizen had not stepped back in time, he would have lost his arm.<p>

There was silence for a brief second, then a bright flash of light as Aizen disappeared and reappeared far away from Ichigo on a high cliff.

"What an odd feeling…" murmured Ichigo; his eyes following Aizen's every move. "When I backed away from you in our last battle, you asked me why. But now you're doing the exact same thing. So let me ask you the same question. Why did you back away just now?"

They glared at each other. Aizen seemed to be getting angry; he was gripping his sword so tightly in an effort to control his rage that it was shaking.

"I see," he said, his voice getting louder as he went on. "You're pleased you stopped my sword? Are you pleased you overcame my Kido? Are you pleased you put a scar on my body?" As he said this, the place where Ichigo had cut him started to regenerate. "DON'T BE SO FULL OF YOURSELF, HUMAN!"

The moment he said these words, Aizen temple cracked. Blood was oozing from his forehead; his body had frozen stock still as his eyes rolled back. His head tilted limply to one side as if he were unconscious. Just as Aizen's skin cracked open, a huge blast of blood and purple light filled the sky. The only thing to be heard was Aizen's scream. Whether in anger or in agony, Ichigo could not tell.

After the smoke cleared, he could just barely make out Aizen. But Aizen looked nothing like he had before. A Hollow like mouth with white eyes, wings grew hideous mouths, still dripping blood, and horrible to behold was a monster.

As Aizen stood up, Ichigo could make out a hole in his chest, like a Hollow, but in its center rested the hōgyoku, glimmering faintly.

"Yes…" came Aizen's voice, which was more like a growl than anything. "This is inexcusable, isn't it, hōgyoku? That I…let a human get the better of me."

One of the mouths on the wings opened, and a small purple glowing thing appeared there. The mouth then lent back and tossed directly at Ichigo.

There was a deafening sound and everything exploded.

* * *

><p>Down in Karakura town, a shock wave hit the huddle group of humans, watching a massive burst of flame hit the sky.<p>

* * *

><p>The land all around had been obliterated. And there, at the center of the dying smoke and fire stood Ichigo. His left sleeve had been burnt away and his arm was charred. He had held it up to protect himself. Aizen walked forward slightly, analyzing the situation.<p>

"I see. You took my attack with so little damage. However that left arm of yours is no longer usable."

Victor at last, Aizen leaped from his ledge and grabbed Ichigo by the throat. His winged mouths surrounded Ichigo. More of those little purple glowing things were produced from each mouth, surrounding the boy in an oval circle, trapping him.

"Can you hear me, Ichigo Kurosaki?" said Aizen, taunting the limp form that was Ichigo. "Indeed, for a moment, you broke the boundary between Hollows and Soul Reapers to become a transcended being. But that power is no more! Not a trace of it remains! You're not even worth trying to understand anymore. I, a true transcendent being, will kill you. By killing you, I will completely break free from both insignificant Soul Reapers and Hollows alike. It's over! Ichigo Kurosaki!"

Aizen tightened his grip on Ichigo's throat.

"Over you say?" said Ichigo in a tone that suggested he was bored. He straightened his head which had been limp, "Is this all you've got?"

Like grabbing Aizen's face, catching his sword, and breaking his Kido, Ichigo swung his sword with apparent ease, breaking the purple ovals and knocking Aizen back with the shockwave.

"Let's end this already, Aizen," Ichigo lowered his Zanpakutō as he said this, "I've grown sick…of all your arguments and logic."

He then raised his sword, pointing it directly at Aizen, who for some reason could not think of anything to say.

"I'll show you."

He then gripped his right arm with his burnt left, as if he were about to perform Bankai.

"This is the final…Getsugatenshou!"

There was a great, bright flash, and Ichigo's spiritual pressure could be seen, white and black, enveloping him, blocking him from Aizen's gaze.

And through the haze, Aizen could make out something, something…beyond words.

"What…is that form?"

* * *

><p>An hour previously…<p>

Ichigo felt his sword break. Of course, the real Tensa Zangetsu wasn't broken at all. Because it was Tensa Zangetsu he was fighting.

Deep within the murky depths of his inner world, Ichigo had tried to get his own sword to tell him about the Final Getsugatenshou. But Zangetsu had refused.

Despair; Ichigo was full of it, and it was for this that Zangetsu was angry with him.

"Look at this world!" He had shouted angrily at Ichigo, gesturing his hand at their surroundings. "This world of yours used to be filled with skyscrapers, full of hope! Now it has sunken down to look like the small town that's dear to you!"

Ichigo remembered. Every time he had visited his inner world, whether with Zangetsu or his Inner Hollow, it had always been full of towering skyscrapers, representing his hopes, his goals, and heart.

But it had gone, replaced with a shabby looking town, sunk deep under the ocean.

The cause of this, Zangetsu had dragged out from Ichigo's soul, his Inner Hollow. It had taken a new form, it was the form that Ichigo feared, but had never seen himself. This was due to the fact that he'd been unconscious when his Inner Hollow had taken control over his body and killed Ulquiorra Schiffer. Ever since then, Ichigo had fear hidden somewhere inside him, fear he would lose control again.

Then Tensa Zangetsu and Ichigo's Inner Hollow joined as one, stating, "We were one, to begin with. Both of us…are your power."

Zangetsu had there after tried to kick Ichigo out of his inner world, but Ichigo would not relent. Yet Tensa Zangetsu and his Inner Hollow's power were so incredible, so overwhelming.

Despite all this, Ichigo still fought Tensa Zangetsu. He fought for the knowledge he must gain, seeking the power to stop Aizen, wanting to protect his friends at all costs, even if it meant his life.

But, as Zangetsu had reminded him before that he even begun to fight, "What you want to protect is not what I want to protect."

How long they had been fighting, Ichigo could not tell. His hair had grown shaggier since he had entered his inner world, so he figured at least a month…or two. It was hard to keep track.

Time was running out.

His father could only last so long.

And yet Tensa Zangetsu was not relenting.

Ichigo turned around, still holding the remaining half of his sword and blocked another powerful strike; the force of it threw him into a wall. As he picked himself back up, Tensa Zangetsu landed on a building above.

"You still refuse to stay down, Ichigo?" he asked, glancing at Ichigo's bleeding left foot and right arm.

"I told you I won't go down," replied Ichigo firmly. "Not until you tell me what the Final Getsugatenshou is."

"I said I have no intention of telling you!"

Tensa Zangetsu charged down, landing on Ichigo's building.

Blow by blow, it was clear the Zangetsu had the upper hand as he deflected Ichigo's counter attack and kicked him easily into yet another building.

_What is this? _Thought Ichigo; straightening up from the rubble. _If he were serious about defeating me, he could've done it at the very start. There was that great of a difference between our powers._

He looked up and saw Zangetsu charging yet again. He leapt aside, running a few feet away as the latter hurtled himself for a new attack. Ichigo parried, managing to dodge his attack, but forced to give ground. A new thought struck him as they exchanged blows.

_If he had no serious intention of telling me, he should stop fighting and keep himself hidden. It would have been easy for him to do that._

As Ichigo blocked yet another attack, Tensa Zangetsu managed to grab his outstretched arm and toss him into the ground. Staggering to his feet, Ichigo became even more confused.

_What is this? Why is it that I only sense sadness flowing from his blade?_

He could even see it now in Zangetsu's face; it was a mixture of sorrow and determination.

They locked swords; Tensa Zangetsu turned his face away, as if he didn't want to look at Ichigo anymore.

He then used his force to throw Ichigo back through the water.

And it was at that moment, it was all made clear, while falling backwards in his inner world.

Zangetsu dived for Ichigo, his sword at the ready.

Smiling slightly, Ichigo released his grip on his own sword and let it float away.

Tensa Zangetsu impaled Ichigo through his heart.

Blood seeped out through the wound though the sword had not budged.

"You've realized it," said Zangetsu, the sound echoing strangely in the water. His head was bowed, as if he still couldn't look at Ichigo. "The only way to acquire the Final Getsugatenshou is to accept my blade."

"There's…no pain…"

"Of course not. I, Tensa Zangetsu, am originally you. If you accept me, there can be no pain when I run you through."

"Why…are you crying?" Ichigo had not missed a small glittering thing that had fallen from the latter's face.

"Ichigo…Do you recall what I said when we started this fight?"

_What you want to protect is not what I want to protect._

"I do…" replied Ichigo, nodding.

"What I wanted to protect was…" Tensa Zangetsu looked up and met Ichigo's eyes, "was _you_, Ichigo."

A little taken aback, Ichigo stared at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

Zangetsu released his sword that was still impaling Ichigo.

"The answer will be conveyed directly through this blade, along with the technique's secret."

Ichigo stared down at the Zanpakutō.

"Ichigo…if you use this technique, you will…"

* * *

><p>The dark spiritual pressure cleared slightly. Ichigo could be seen standing calmly at the center of it, adjusting to his new form and power.<p>

Aizen was at a loss as to what just happened.

Another powerful shock wave had just hit him and he could see properly now.

The boy's hair had grown long and black. His eyes glinted red, and his mouth was covered by some cloth. Ichigo's bankai had disappeared. His chest and right arm was covered in what looked like gray bandages. There was no sword or any weapon that Aizen could make out, only the dark spiritual pressure constantly pouring from Ichigo's body.

It was truly an incredible sight to behold. The very air seemed to be crackling.

"The Final Getsugatenshou is…me," said Ichigo quietly to Aizen, "becoming Getsuga himself. The Final Getsugatenshou…If I use this technique, I will lose all of my Soul Reaper powers. That's what "Final" means."

_I still can't sense his power. _Thought Aizen; taking in these words. _I have evolved into a being far beyond that of a Soul Reaper. Just as two-dimensional beings can never interact with three-dimensional beings, no Soul Reaper or human can detect my spiritual pressure, unless I deliberately brought down my powers to their level of awareness. Could it be…?_

Aizen was now looking at Ichigo in horror.

_Could it possibly be that he…is at an even higher level than myself?_

"ABSURD!" He roared, in answer of his own thoughts. "THAT COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE! A MERE HUMAN CANNOT SURPASS ME! THAT CAN'T BE!"

But as he yelled these words, Ichigo stretched out his arm to the side.

A sword appeared in his right hand.

Ichigo raised it over his own head then brought it down swiftly.

"Mugetsu."

* * *

><p>All of Ichigo's spiritual pressure was poured out of the sword, striking Aizen precisely in half. It was a massive, black force that savagely cut down everything that lay in its path.<p>

As Ichigo watched Aizen dissolve into nothing, Zangetsu's words echoed in his mind.

"If you use this technique, you will lose all of your Soul Reaper powers. Farewell….Ichigo."

Ichigo watched as his attack faded away up in the sky with a deafening, grinding noise.

No regret. No fear. He did what he had wanted to do. What he had always done.

Protect.

Ichigo landed neatly on the ground. He felt his grey bandages that were covering his mouth and chest crack and crumble into the wind.

There was a thud a distance away.

It was Aizen, and his body was healing from Mugetsu's attack.

"He is still able to regenerate?"

Ichigo used Flash Step to get closer, appearing before Aizen who was on the ground, clambering to his feet.

A sudden wave of dizziness and feeling like he was about to be sick struck Ichigo like a punch to the head and he fell to his knees, sweat pouring down his face.

_Crap! My Soul Reaper powers…are disappearing!_

There was a sound above his head and he looked up in alarm.

Aizen was standing, still holding his sword which was disintegrating slowly.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, you lose. Observe," He said softly, holding out his Zanpakutō for Ichigo to see. "My Zanpakutō is fading away. You should know what that means." His voice grew more victorious as he went on, excitement causing him to lose his cool, usual manner. "The Hōgyoku has determined that I have no need for a Zanpakutō! Like you I have become one with the Zanpakutō and its powers. In fact, you no longer have that power, while I will reach a level far beyond that of yours!"

Ichigo could only look on, helpless as his Soul Reaper powers drained away.

"It's over! Ichigo Kurosaki!"

But Aizen's smile turned into a grimace. A red glowing spike appeared from his chest, as if he was impaled. Then a second, third, fourth, and fifth had appeared in a cross like shape.

"What…is this?" he gasped and stumbled backwards. "Kido? But, when was I attacked?"

"It seems it's finally taking effect," said a new voice and a figure appeared suddenly a little ways away. Both Aizen and Ichigo looked up in shock at this new arrival.

"Kisuke Urahara, is this your doing?" snarled Aizen, taking another step backwards.

"Yes," replied Urahara. "Before you were able to completely transform, when you were most vulnerable, I planted a Kido into another Kido and shot it into your body. It's a seal. I figured once you fused with the hōgyoku, killing you would be nearly impossible. So I invented a new Kido to seal you off."

Aizen, who had been scowling all the time Urahara was talking, grinned unexpectedly.

"Is that so?" he laughed, "I hate to disappoint you. See!" Aizen held up his sword which had almost dissolved to the hilt. "At this moment, I am about to evolve even further. You can't seal me off…with this level of Kido!"

But the moment he said those words, Aizen's protective form broke away from his right arm crumbling into dust along with his sword.

"What?"

He looked at his arm in shock. He was losing power, and fast!

"What's happening?"

"It's the hōgyoku's will," answered Urahara simply, "The reason the seal I shot into your body is only taking effect now is because your powers have weakened." He then looked gratefully at Ichigo who was still on his knees. "It was thanks to Kurosaki. It was able to take effect because he fought this hard and pushed you to your limit."

Aizen looked from his hand, to Urahara, not wanting to believe what he was saying.

"The hōgyoku is saying it does not recognize you as its master," Urahara stated, looking back to Aizen who was glaring at him.

"That's absurd. That can't be. There's no way!" Aizen was hunched in pain; the red spikes were now sticking out of his back as well. Then from the feet up wards, Aizen was slowly being incased by a red covering. It was the seal.

"Kisuke…Kisuke Urahara!" he spat, his voice raising with each syllable. "I despise you! With your great intellect, why don't you take action?" Aizen's arms were now being sealed, "Why do you subjugate yourself to that thing?"

"'That thing' you mean the Soul King? I understand now…you saw, didn't you? Without the existence of the Soul King, the Soul Society would split apart. The Soul King is the keystone. Without the keystone in its place, it would fall apart easily. That's how the world is."

"THAT'S THE ARGUMENT A LOSER WOULD MAKE!" roared Aizen, now fighting the seal, breaking his hands free and pushing it away from himself. "A VICTOR MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OF HOW THE WORLD SHOULD BE RATHER THAN HOW THE WORLD IS!" His hands became incased again.

"I…"

But the seal had covered him completely. It stretched and thinned to three spiked poles. Ichigo turned his head at the last second. To think a person could be sealed away in something like _that_.

* * *

><p>The clouds parted and sunlight poked through. Slowly, but surely, sunlight appeared back over Karakura Town.<p>

Taksuki no longer felt that horrible spiritual pressure.

All she felt now was a huge sigh of relief.

"Ichigo…"

* * *

><p>In the Real World, they could sense victory. All those Soul Reapers and Vizards knew, one way or another, injured and tired as they were, that their efforts had not been in vain.<p>

* * *

><p>Out in Hueco Mundo, they could feel it too. Ishida and Orihime smiled at each other. Rukia, Sado, and Renji were grouped up on a large pillar in Las Noches.<p>

"It's over, isn't it, Ichigo?" Rukia murmured quietly to herself, a faint smile etched on her lips.

* * *

><p>Ichigo sat upon a rock, feeling the wind on his face, thinking about what had just happened, feeling his own spiritual pressure slowly ebbing away.<p>

It was over for us all.


End file.
